Hoodwinked
by kiwi the almighty
Summary: Neji asks Tenten to do him a favour which turns out to be something bigger than she had ever expected. NejixTenten. Fluff. One shot


A/N: Just a short Neji x Tenten fic that's been stuck in my mind for a while. One shot.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto….damn.

* * *

Tenten found herself panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath in the open field. She was acutely aware of Neji's presence in front of her, waiting impatiently for her to continue their sparring.

"Can you remind me again?" Tenten asked between throws as she threw her kunai at Neji which he easily dodged with expert grace, "why you want me to train harder" she said through heavily exhaled gasps of air.

For the past two days, Neji had insisted Tenten to do him an offer, which she had happily accepted. She was shocked earlier when Neji had asked her for her help for he, as everyone knew him, was not the type to ask help from people. Therefore the fact that Neji was asking her something, the mere fact that he was relying on her made Tenten feel proud. She was overjoyed at the fact that she could finally help the Hyuuga prodigy in anyway she could. He had always been the cold, aloof prodigy who seemed to be perfect at everything. Although Tenten admired him for that, she also wished that he would take her behind his closed walls, to allow her to see him for who he truly was and to allow her to be of use to him.

Therefore, today's training was harsher and harder than any training, she had forgone in the past. Neji seemed more ruthless when fighting, more aggressive and Tenten found herself depending on her wits to keep her away from his deadly palm strikes.

Grasping for air again, Tenten jumped into the air and threw several kunai's at Neji's direction. She knew that he would easily dodge them but she was exhausted. She felt herself go limp and weak as she hit the ground and found herself on hers knees as she tried to control her shaking body.

She felt Neji's eyes looking down at her, stoic as usual. She shivered in disappointment thinking that she had let Neji down. She never meant to let Neji down; she simply couldn't cope with the tougher sparring routine.

"Get up Tenten" Neji ordered, his voice sounding harsh.

"Sorry Neji" Tenten said feeling slightly wounded, her voice shaking slightly she added, "I'll try harder"

Willing her body to stand up, Tenten positioned herself in a defensive mode in front of Neji. She was subconsciously aware that although both she and Neji had been sparring for more than five hours today, it was she who was covered with dirt and sweat. She was vaguely awed at how Neji could keep himself clean throughout the entire sparring match. He didn't even have a single grain of dirt on him.

"Ready?" Neji asked.

Tenten nodded her head.

Then he attacked.

Tenten found herself fall to the ground again. Her legs were defying her orders and refused to get up. She was exhausted and tired. She didn't have the will to continue the fight.

Neji stood beside her and looked down at her, his face expressionless.

Tenten glared at him from under her lashes.

"You're working me too hard," she stated tiredly.

"I thought you said you were willing to help me with the favour" Neji replied coldly in an almost sulky tone.

Tenten felt hurt. So this was how Neji thought of her. She was right all along. She couldn't help him no matter how hard she tried and apparently, Neji thought the same too.

"I am!" Tenten exclaimed wildly, as a tear embedded itself onto her bottom eyelid, "it's just" she muttered slowly, "I'm being pushed to my limit. I don't know how much I can take this any longer"

Neji glared at her, angry that she refused to continue, angry at the fact that she thought that she couldn't continue.

"I don't even know how you want me to help anyway!" Tenten continued in defence, "What do you want me to do?"

"Don't make me repeat myself Tenten" Neji told her warningly.

Tenten sighed and closed her eyes. She could feel the tears build up more behind her eyes. All Neji had told her was that she would have to fight against someone and that she had to win at all costs. It had made her weary at first on hearing this but the fact that their training and intensified one hundred fold, it made her wonder whether or not her opponent was beatable at all.

Tenten sniffed. She didn't want to fail Neji. No. This was the first thing he had ever asked of her and she would make damn sure that she executed it to its damn perfection.

"Tenten?" Neji asked when he didn't hear a reply from his sparring partner.

"I don't understand Neji, why do you want me to fight this person so badly?" Tenten asked and kept her eyes on the ground. She didn't have the strength to look Neji in the eye at this moment.

Neji faulted for a second, unsure whether he should answer her question or not.

"Tenten" he repeated again, though his voice sounded more emotionless than usual, "I'm getting married"

Tenten's head snapped up as she heard the eyes. She felt her heart break at his words and she envisioned her life falling to pieces without him. She turned her head away from his view and her tears that were earlier building up were now threatening to fall.

"I'm glad for you" she chocked out her congratulations, still unable to look at him.

"But" Neji continued slowly.

Tenten turned her head round to face him. The 'but' he has said brought small hopes to her as she desperately wished that he would tell her that it was _she_ that her wanted to marry and no other.

"I don't want to get married," he stated out flatly.

Tenten felt her heart flutter. Even if he didn't get married, and didn't marry her, than at least she could still be with him instead of watching him with another girl she thought sadly.

"At least not to _her_ anyways" Neji added.

Tenten felt her heart froze. So there _was_ someone that Neji was intending to marry! He didn't love her and he certainly didn't want to marry her. Tenten felt her heart being crushed for a second time that day and she desperately wished that the ground would swallow her up so that she didn't have to hear anymore words that Neji would say. It would hurt, and it would destroy her forever.

"So what has this got to do with the favour?" she asked trying terribly hard to keep herself from crying. She felt exhausted and worst of all, she felt as if she had just lost Neji forever.

"I need you to fight against my current fiancé," Neji said tonelessly as he watched Tenten's face turn from sadness to shock.

"What? Why? What would that do?" she asked at once.

"If you beat her at fighting, then you prove that she is unworthy to be my fiancé and therefore she is no longer bound to me," he said ever so bluntly.

Tenten felt her mouth open. A part of her felt shock, another part felt disbelief and the final part of her, which was burning with every fibre in her body, felt angry and upset that Neji would use her in such a way. Although he wasn't technically using her and she had agreed to do him this favour, she still couldn't help but feel slightly cheated by his ploy.

"Oh, I see" she said slowly, "so this is what you want me to do?" she asked rhetorically.

Neji looked at her with no sign of expression on his face.

"Yes"

Tenten closed her eyes again and fought the overwhelming emotions that were taking over her body. She felt exhausted, happy at Neji wanting her help, feeling disappointed that she was using her so that he didn't have to be married and upset at the fact that there might be a girl out there that _he _did want to marry. All this was starting to take a toll on her physically and mentally.

"So if I win this fight for you, you don't have to marry her right," she asked slowly.

"Correct"

"And is there another woman you wish to marry?" she asked, her eyes still closed and her mind dreading to hear the answer.

After a short silence, Neji answered.

"Correct"

Tenten felt her tears run from her eyes freely. She had no more strength to stop them and after hearing Neji's confession, she felt herself go into a state of shock, rejection and complete disappointment. Neji didn't want her. No, he had never wanted her and he just proved that today.

"Tenten?" he asked slowly. If Tenten weren't in her usual state of mind, she would have thought that Neji's voice had a hint of concern in them. But that would never happen.

Tenten looked away again and rubbed her eyes.

"I have something in my eye" she lied, trying to keep her voice sound merry.

"Don't lie to me Tenten" Neji demanded but kept his voice low. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't mean to.

"So you want to tell me the name of this lucky woman who you want to marry?" Tenten asked, trying to control her voice and at the same time trying to control it from sounding too curious and whinny.

Neji sighed.

"I can't tell you her name but you know her very well"

"I do?"

"You know her _very_ well"

Tenten thought about all the girls she knew. To be truthful she didn't have much girl friends due to excessive training with Neji. Sure she still kept in touch with friends who were in her year but the only one's she would count that she could even consider knowing very well were Hinata, Sakura and Ino. Tenten thought of Hinata as a possible choice. No, it couldn't happen. She was his cousin, though she did hear of cousins marrying each other in the same house to keep their bloodline pure, she couldn't imagine Neji and Hinata ending up together. Right? Her thoughts then turned to Ino and Sakura and her heart sunk. Both girls were prettier than she was. They were possible choices for the Hyuuga heir to marry. They both had looks; power, influence and a family branch whereas she on the other hand was nothing more than Tenten. Just Tenten.

"Is it Ino or Sakura?" Tenten asked, fearing what he would say next.

Neji snorted and gave a look of disgust.

"Definitely not them" he said in disgust.

"Then who?" Tenten pressed on.

"I can't say" Neji said slowly.

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid she might reject me"

Tenten felt her heart flinch. How ironic it was that Neji was scared of being rejected by the women he loved whereas she had just gotten her heart broken and rejected by Neji himself.

"I'm sure she'll never reject you," Tenten said softly. _Who could ever reject him?_

Neji smirked.

"Either that or I can trick her into marrying me" he said in a smug tone.

Tenten felt her lips curl up to form a small smile from what he had just said. However, she couldn't keep her happy demeanour up when she knew that Neji wanted someone else. _He must really love her_ she thought sadly_; love her enough to be scared to be rejected._

Neji held out his arm towards Tenten.

"Shall we continue the sparring?" he asked her.

* * *

Tenten nodded as she took hold of his hand, savouring the feeling of his skin, his warm and his hand in hers. This would be the last time that she would ever touch him she thought regrettingly.

Tenten stood inside the Hyuuga compound feeling nervous. This was the day of the match and to her surprise; the entire Hyuuga clan came out to see the spectacle, which only made her even more nervous. She couldn't even find Neji either and she desperately wished to see him.

"So you're the girl who's gonna fight me huh?" asked an arrogant crisp tone.

Tenten turned round started at the voice and came face to face with a very pretty blonde haired young woman who looked at her accusingly.

"Yeah" Tenten replied, still awed by the girl's beauty.

The young woman glared at Tenten.

"Who do you think you are?" she accused in an angry tone, "Neji is _my_ fiancé and no one can take him away from me. No one!"

Tenten stood her ground.

"Well he obviously doesn't want _you_ to be his fiancé if I'm fighting you" she shot back.

The woman narrowed her eyes and continued her glare towards Tenten.

"You don't deserve him. I've been his betrothed since we were two. You don't deserve him at all!"

Tenten felt her eyes narrow too. If anything at all, she did deserve him. After all, she was the one who sparred with Neji, who took care of his injuries, who went on missions with him and who had always looked after him. If there had been a god in heaven, he too would agree that Tenten was the most deserving woman for Neji. But life never worked that way.

"What are you talking about?" Tenten hissed back. What was she going on about her not deserving him at all?

"Don't act coy with me girl! Don't act as if you don't know anything!"

"Lady Maya?" a young servant asked between the heated argument between Tenten and the young woman who's name was supposedly Maya.

"What?" she demanded angrily as she turned her attention to the young servant who was shivering with fear.

"Your…your family requests that you should see them now in preparation before the match" the servant stuttered.

Lady Maya sighed in irritation.

"Fine. Tell them that I shall see them in a few moments," she snapped at the servant.

The servant bowed her head and left the two young girls.

"We'll settle this in the match," Lady Maya stated, "And I'm going to win" she added arrogantly before she walked off to see her family.

Tenten fumed as she watched the young girl turn her back at her and walk away. _What a bitch!_ She thought angrily, _no wonder Neji doesn't want to marry her!_

"Man what a bitch," a voice stated out which Tenten was thinking the precise thing.

She jumped and turned her gaze on Hanabi who had her hands in her pockets and Hinata who was playing with her fingers nervously.

"Hanabi-kun, you shouldn't…shouldn't be saying such rude words," she stated softly.

Hanabi snorted at her older sister.

"Well she_ is_ a bitch" she replied flatly.

"Tenten-kun how are you?" Hinata asked softly.

Tenten smiled.

"I'm feeling good but slightly nervous" she replied truthfully.

"Tenten" Hanabi commanded, "beat that girl. I don't like her"

Tenten laughed. She didn't like her either.

"I'll beat her alright. No problems there"

"Be careful Tenten-kun," Hinata asked.

"I will. Don't worry"

"Good. So we'll see you in the Hyuuga garden. That's where the match will be taking place," Hanabi stated.

"Sure. See you there. And wish me luck!" Tenten added.

Both the Hyuuga sisters nodded and gave her their wishes of luck towards her and walked off towards the garden, leaving Tenten behind.

Tenten shivered in apprehension and fear. The fact that she had to fight Lady Maya in front of the whole Hyuuga compound made her scared and what worried her more was the fact that Neji was depending so much on her. She didn't want to fail him.

"There you are" a cold voice said which Tenten took as Neji's.

"Neji?" she asked with her back towards him.

"Hn?"

"Why did you pick me to fight against her? I might not win against her. I'm scared that I might let you down" she said slowly.

"You'll do fine Tenten"

Tenten gave a dry laugh.

"That's not really helping me at all," she added.

Neji walked up towards Tenten's back and slowly folded his arms around her shoulders.

Tenten gasped with shock at the closeness of Neji's body beside hers. She could feel him bury his face in her hair and held her tighter. Strange feelings like butterflies started to develop in her stomach and Tenten was glad that Neji couldn't see her blush. She had always dreamed and wished that Neji would hold her like this. Holding her close to him, secure in his arms where she felt peaceful and safe.

"I want you to fight her because I _know_ that you can defeat her and because I want _you_ to fight her" he said as he nuzzled his face closer to her neck until she could feel is hot breathe on her sensitive skin.

Tenten didn't reply. None of Neji's words made sense to her and she wasn't too sure what he was talking about anymore. She was certain that there were more capable girls to fight on Neji's behalf but he had refused all of them and wanted just her. Tenten didn't know why. She didn't know what difference she could make.

"One more thing" Neji said as if remembering something, "Maya is a medic ninja so she isn't as talented in fighting"

Tenten sighed in relief. Maybe she could defeat her after all?

"But"

Tenten tensed up, waiting to hear what Neji had to say next.

"She's really strong and throws powerful punches. On top of that she's extremely fast too"

Great, Tenten thought to herself. Just how was she supposed to beat a person with strength like that?

"I'll win" Tenten said quietly, convincing herself that she would win this battle.

"You _better_ win" Neji replied hotly.

Tenten gave a small laugh. Neji was depending on her and she would be damned if she ever let Neji down.

"Don't worry Neji, I will win" _I'll win for you_ she added mentally.

"Good" Neji replied and started to let go of Tenten's shoulders. Tenten felt the cold air sweep through her like tidal wave when she lost contact with Neji's warmth and she couldn't help but feel slightly sad. After all, after she had beaten Neji's current fiancé that would leave Neji free to pursue whomever the lucky lady was that he wanted to marry. And for Tenten, the sheer thought of it made her heart ache.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Tenten smiled.

"Never been readier"

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen" Hiashi greeted, "guests of the Hanabou family, welcome!"

Tenten stood nervously beside a bench as she watched the head of the Hyuuga clan greeting all the spectators. She wished desperately that that everyone would disappear so that she could fight Maya privately. She couldn't bear with the humiliation if she did fail.

"As you can see" Hiashi continued, "This match is depending on which girl Neji would marry"

_Which girl?_ Tenten thought confusingly, _he probably means which girl who will marry Neji once I win this match for him_ she thought dryly.

"The current fiancé of Neji is Lady Maya san and according to the Hyuuga customs, if a Hyuuga so wishes to have another fiancé, the contender must merely beat the original fiancé whom in this occasion is Lady Maya of the Hanabou clan," Hiashi told all the spectators.

Tenten tried to listen to his voice but her fears and bitterness of losing Neji drowned all other thoughts and sounds.

"And the match begins!" Hiashi exclaimed and a loud roar erupted, most of which was cheering Lady Maya to win.

Tenten blinked. The match has now started. It was now or never.

From the corner of her eye, Tenten could see Neji standing beside Hinata and Hanabi with his arms folded in front of his chest, eyes face expressionless and cold. She could also see Hinata and Hanabi cheering for her from the sidelines and almost laughed when she saw Hanabi punch a branch member beside her who was cheering for Maya.

Smirking, Tenten faced her opponent. She would let go of all her feelings in this battle. She would not let any emotions take over. It was a fight to the death.

"Are you ready?" she asked smugly as she took out her scroll in front of her.

"Don't get so cocky. We haven't even fought yet" Maya warned as she took out several kunai from her pouch.

"Yes but I know that I'll win" Tenten replied as she started to sound more like her original self, "you on the other hand, will lose"

Lady Maya's eyes flared up and she threw the first kunai, which started the match. A loud cheer erupted but Tenten ignored all that. Her sight was fixed on Maya.

Biting her thumb and letting the blood drip on her scroll, she summoned her weapons and jumped into the air as she threw her first strike at Maya. Maya dodged her weapons easily and Tenten found herself realising that Neji wasn't kidding when he said she was fast. _Doesn't matter _she thought to herself, _I'll still win._

Summoning more kunai's to the tips of her fingers, she threw them at Maya, which she easily dogged again. Tenten gritted her teeth. This girl was too fast. She would have to think of an alternative way to approach her.

Maya quickly run up to her side and smirked at Tenten as she looked down at her.

"Surprise?" she asked in a smug tone as she threw at punch at Tenten's direction.

Tenten defended with her blocks and smirked.

"I haven't even started _yet_" she replied.

The fight turned into a battle of wits where both girls fought each other desperately. Tenten threw her kicks at Maya and she titled her head quickly to miss the blow. Turning to her side quickly, she summoned another weapon and aimed it at Maya's side.

"Ouch" Maya screeched as she staggered back. Tenten smirked at having the upper advantage.

Glaring at Tenten, Maya hissed at her.

"You'll pay for this!"

She ran up towards Tenten in excessive speed, which almost matched Lee's. Preparing her blow to hit Tenten's head, she smirked when she saw the younger girl block. With a flash of light, she turned her body quickly and threw a powerful punch into Tenten's stomach.

Tenten gasped with pain. The girl had incredible strength and she fought desperately the feeling of soreness that was running through her entire body. She could see the crowd turn silent, all transfixed on the match in front of them. She could see Hinata biting her fingers in worry, Hanabi with her stoic expression and Neji who was glaring at her furiously. She looked away from him. She had to win. She had to win for Neji.

The battle continued for another twenty minutes and Tenten found herself panting. She realised now why Neji had been working her so hard and she was glad that they had such an excessive sparring sessions. She was glad to see that Maya was tiring as well. Her attacks were becoming clumsy.

_Now's my chance,_ Tenten thought to herself. She noticed that Maya was starting to get more exhausted but she had to find away to dodge her incredible speed.

Summoning more weapons to her fingertips, Tenten threw her kunai at Maya, which she dodged. Managing to get hold of one of Tenten's kunai, Maya threw it right back at her, which went straight into her chest.

There was a gasp of silence in the crowd as they registered the event. Maya had just thrown a kunai at Tenten's chest.

"I did it?" Maya asked in exhausted gasps as she watched Tenten hit the ground.

Then with a poof, Tenten disappeared and was replaced with a log with a kunai stuck into it.

Tenten jumped from behind Maya and threw her remaining weapons at her. Surprised and startled, Maya couldn't fend off the weapons, which grazed her skin like a thousand knives.

"Sorry missus. You're not winning anytime today" Tenten replied to her earlier question and she ran towards Maya's side and gave her one final last blow.

Maya fell to the ground, blood dripping from where the kunai's hit and blood dripping from her mouth. She wouldn't accept that she was losing. Trying to get up, she hit the ground again, unable to summon her legs to stand up. Tenten stood beside her, looking down at her.

"You lose," she said in triumphal. The match was over. She had won. Then she collapsed onto the ground too.

* * *

Within seconds, Hinata and Hanabi were on her side.

"You won!" Hanabi exclaimed in excitement.

"Are…are you okay?" Hinata asked as she looked worriedly at Tenten's scars.

Tenten gave a laugh.

"Told you I'd win"

"That Maya girl is really strong," Hanabi, stated, "I almost started to doubt"

Tenten gave her a small smile. She herself had doubted whether she could beat her or not too.

Hinata shook her head.

"I knew you would win"

"Thanks Hinata"

"No!" a loud wailing noise pierced her eardrums. She turned round and found Maya being attended by her family and servants. She was pushing them away from her roughly.

"I refuse to accept to lose. She doesn't deserve him!" she cried out.

Tenten gave her a small smile. Even though Maya was annoying, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Maya had loved Neji and she was as heart broken, as she was when Neji had rejected her. The feeling of happiness of winning disappeared instantly and was replaced with sorrow and guilt. She had won for Neji but she had to accept the truth that Neji was hers no longer.

Hiashi walked towards Tenten and looked her over. Tenten quickly got to her knees and gave him a small bow. She saw Neji from the corner of her eye and saw him walk towards him too. She gave him a small smile.

"Congratulations for winning" Hiashi congratulated her, "It was indeed a spectacle. I almost thought that you actually got shot by that kunai," he stated with admiration.

Tenten gave him a small smile.

"Illusion technique" she stated.

Hiashi nodded understandingly then turned his attention towards his two daughters.

Tenten watched Neji walk to her.

"Congratulations for winning" he said.

Tenten gave a small laugh.

"I almost thought I wouldn't win. You weren't joking when you said she was strong and fast"

"I never joke Tenten," Neji instructed her.

Tenten nodded her head. So this was it. This was the end. Neji would marry another girl, live happily ever after, and leave Tenten behind. Tenten bit her lip. She couldn't bear to lose Neji. She wanted him. She loved him. But what upset her more was that she could never tell him her love for him. It was for the best. She didn't want to ruin their friendly relationship by confessing that she loved him, especially when she found out that he liked another.

"I hope you marry the girl of your dreams," she said sadly.

Neji gave her a strange look and ignored her comment.

Tenten felt Hiashi shaking her hand and she was unsure why he was doing such a thing. She presumed that he was congratulating her again for winning the match.

"Ladies and Gentlemen" Hiashi greeted the spectators again, "I present to you the winner of the match. Tenten!"

There was a loud cheer and everyone was cheering her name. Tenten could do nothing but smile at them as her thoughts still lingered on the fact that Neji would never be hers.

"I also present to you" Hiashi added, "The fiancé and future wife Hyuuga Neji"

The cheers erupted louder and Tenten could feel her jaw drop in surprise. There must have been a mistake!

But before she got the chance to protest and to tell everyone that she was merely doing Neji a favour, a strong arm grabbed hold of her violently and pushed her body towards his. Tenten was about to protest again when she realised that he was Neji who had grabbed hold of her and it was he who had crushed his mouth onto hers.

Tenten felt herself melt as Neji encircled his arms around her. She was shocked at what was happening and she still didn't understand all of it but what she did know was that Neji was kissing her tenderly and hungrily. Then it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. She didn't care that he was kissing her in front of his whole clan, she didn't care what people would say about them, but for now, she wanted to enjoy this moment. This completely bliss where the man she loved was kissing her.

Neji slowly pulled away and a loud "aww" erupted in the crowd. They were enjoying the sweet scene that they were witnessing where the once ice-cold prodigy had gotten his heart captured by Konoha's Weapon Mistress, his sparring partner, his friend, his equal, and his love.

Tenten smiled at him ruefully.

"You tricked me," she said with small laugh.

Neji smirked at her.

"I told you I would" and he captured her mouth in his again.

Tenten smiled against his lips. She was glad that he had asked her the favour. She was glad that she accepted, glad that she won and glad that she was finally his. After all, out of everyone, she was the most deserving for the Hyuuga prodigy.

**The End.**

* * *

A/N: Loved it? Hated it? Either way, **review** please! 


End file.
